Pollinosis exhibits symptoms such as sneezing or continuous sniveling due to aspiration of pollens, and causal factors thereof have not completely been clarified yet. Since pollinosis occurs frequently in urban areas, there are hypotheses that dust or metallic fines are involved, or that reduction of parasites is a contributing factor. In respect of the onset mechanism, pollinosis is an anaphylactic reaction, and the onset of pollinosis is explained by release of inflammatory substances caused by binding of an antigen and IgE to a mastocyte (mast cell) in a bridge form. Presently, as a treatment method for pollinosis medically, there are medically used administration of an antihistaminic agent, oral immunologic tolerance method and the like, but these methods are not conclusive. Generally, methods such as use of a mask or a device to prevent aspiration of pollens are applied, but these methods are not very effective.
For treatment of allergic disease such as pollinosis, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis or bronchial asthma, a steroid agent is broadly used, but this agent is desirably used in the short term because of the problem of side effects. However, where the use of a steroid agent is stopped, it results in a deterioration of the symptoms and, in some cases, what is called a rebound phenomenon may occur, wherein the symptom becomes worse than before the use of the steroid agent.
A treated product of peanut seed coats is known to have bone marrow cell-proliferating activity, anti-HIV activity, etc. (Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open (Kokai) Nos. 10-120588 and 11-246431, but there are no reports regarding antiallergic activity.